Woman wears medical mask in a workshop

SPECIAL COMPETITIONS COVID-19 RESPONSETogether against the pandemic

Developing and emerging market countries have been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to projects funded through develoPPP Classic and develoPPP Ventures, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has supported more than 220 entrepreneurial initiatives designed to help these countries mitigate the immediate health-related and economic impacts. Selected through a total of three special competitions held between March 2020 and March 2021, the projects were each supported with up to EUR 2,000,000. 
 

Over
220
projects
More than
40
Project countries
EUR
200
million
project volume
Basis: develoPPP projects from the three COVID-19 Response special competitions
Hospital beds in a container-based hospital extension (South Africa)

SOUTH AFRICA: Providing a container-based hospital extension

With a project volume of around EUR 4.6 million, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Siemens South Africa Pty Ltd. set up a modular, contained-based hospital extension in just six months. Handed over to the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Eastern Cape Province in April 2021, this extension has raised the hospital’s capacity by another 100 beds, including 10 intensive care beds, a laboratory, a radiology department and a pharmacy to supply patients during the coronavirus crisis and beyond.

Health truck enables health services in remote areas (Brazil)

BRAZIL: Using health trucks to reach remote areas

Three projects by Mercedes-Benz do Brasil Ltda. and DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH with a total volume of around EUR 5.7 million have brought healthcare services to some of Brazil’s more remote regions. In addition to a COVID-19 field hospital in São Paulo, eight converted trucks provide for a wide range of testing options and space for smaller medical interventions. Moreover, two mobile vaccination units are intended to mitigate the pandemic’s health-related impacts.

Person types on a laptop (Philippines)

PHILIPPINES: Providing remote treatment via telemedicine

During the COVID-19 pandemic, mobility in the Philippines was at times heavily restricted. To give the population location-independent and contactless access to medical personnel, the Cooperative Health Management Federation (CHMF) together with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH developed an open source application for telemedicine that is being made available to other actors in the healthcare system. The project budget was EUR 400,000.

Boxes of medicines lie on a table (Cote d’Ivoire)

COTE D’IVOIRE: Using blockchain to fight fake medicines

According to WHO, anywhere between 30 to 60 per cent of all medicines circulating in Africa are counterfeits, a situation that entails considerable health risks. With a total budget of just under EUR 680,000, the authentic.network GmbH collaborated with DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH to roll out a completely new kind of technology in Côte d’Ivoire. Designed to halt the spread of fake medicines and counterfeit COVID-19 protective equipment, it gives customers confirmation of authenticity using an app and electronic seals.

People sit in an office at a conference table (Kosovo)

KOSOVO: Training nursing and healthcare workers

With a project budget of EUR 200,000, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH joined with Kolegji Heimerer, a private educational institution in the healthcare field, to provide Kosovar nursing and healthcare workers with further training in coronavirus infection prevention and control (IPC). Furthermore, in collaboration with local healthcare facilities, medical multipliers were brought up to speed on the latest research findings on hygiene standards as well as patient and staff safety.

Woman working at a loom

develoPPP Classic

develoPPP Classic is aimed at medium-sized and large companies that want to invest sustainably in a developing or emerging country and expand their operational activities locally. Suitable projects receive technical and financial support of up to two million euros in public funding.

Young empoyees in a discussion during a business meeting

develoPPP Ventures

develoPPP Ventures is aimed at young companies that are already active with an innovative business model in a developing or emerging country and are ready to take the next step. Within the framework of a matching funds model, a public growth investment of 100,000 euros is possible.

Carolin Welzel
Carolin Welzel Senior Consultant Agency for Business & Economic Development
Hans-Joachim Hebgen
Hans-Joachim Hebgen Senior Consultant Agency for Business & Economic Development
Daniel Thomann
Daniel Thomann Head of Programme DEG Impulse gGmbH
Kathinka Kurz
Kathinka Kurz Head of Programme Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH